Man confesses to decades-old murder in Northern California

REDDING, Calif. – A man contacted a Redding, California television station claiming he was involved in a murder over twenty years ago.

The Redding Police Department said on January 9, 45-year-old Brian Hawkins told the news crew at KRCR that he was involved in the homicide of Frank McAlister, a 19-year-old who went missing in May 1993.

Hawkins met with Redding Police Department investigators after the apparent admission. He told police he could no longer live with the guilt.

According to officers, Hawkins said in 1993 he, along with Curtis Culver and Shanna Culver, lured McAlister to the Shingletown area so they could steal money McAlister brought to buy methamphetamine. Once they were all in a rural area, the three suspects stabbed McCalister to death and left his body in the woods. They then took McAlister’s money and vehicle and drove it back to Redding.

Watch Hawkins’ emotional television interview HERE.

McAlister was reported missing shortly after his disappearance. His vehicle was later found in a Costco parking lot with a large amount of blood in the vehicle. McAlister’s remains were found about a year later by a hiker.

Investigators knew the three suspects were the last ones to see McAlister alive, but they all denied any wrongdoing following the homicide.

Police said Hawkin’s most recent recollection of events matched evidence in the case.

On January 10, 2018, Curtis and Shanna Culver were taken to the Redding Police Department to face questioning about the case. They were later arrested and booked into the Shasta County Jail along with Hawkins to face homicide charges.

Anyone with further information about this case is asked to call the Redding Police Department at 530-225-4200.